Meh, did that once.. wasn't as impressed with the final product. It'll do in a pinch, but..

Agree but .... you can do some interesting things other than what is traditional. I once made a cinnamon candi syrup for a beer that turned out awesome. Thinking outside the box ... figs, maple, agave .... there is an endless way to make concentrated syrups. Doesn't always have to be traditional .... but if a traditional belgian dubbel or quad is what you are after there is just no substitute.

I've made dark syrup a couple of times, but the real thing does give a much more complex flavor profile IMO, so that's what I use now. My LHBS carries it all the time now, so buying it is much less of a hassle than it used to be.